Data from: Origins of cattle on Chirikof Island, Alaska, elucidated from genome-wide SNP genotypes

Feral livestock may harbor genetic variation of commercial, scientific,
historical or esthetic value. The origins and uniqueness of feral cattle
on Chirikof Island, Alaska, are uncertain. The island is now part of the
Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge and Federal wildlife managers want grazing
to cease, presumably leading to demise of the cattle. Here we characterize
the cattle of Chirikof Island relative to extant breeds and discern their
origins. Our analyses support the inference that Yakut cattle from Russia
arrived first on Chirikof Island, then ~120 years ago the first European
taurine cattle were introduced to the island, and finally a large wave of
Hereford cattle were introduced on average 40 years ago. In addition, this
mixture of European and East-Asian cattle is unique compared with other
North American breeds and we find evidence that natural selection in the
relatively harsh environment of Chirikof Island has further impacted their
genetic architecture. These results provide an objective basis for
decisions regarding conservation of the Chirikof Island cattle.